In prior systems, the pipe union (which is connected to a flexible pipe, referred to a "Durit") engages in various different ways in a connection tube projecting from the water box of the heat exchanger.
Unfortunately, the presence of this projecting connection tube complicates the operation of crimping the water box to the perforated plate which connects the water box to the bundle of heat exchanger tubes, and it also increases the overall size of the assembly, which has undesirable consequences for assembly operations on motor vehicles.
An object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate this drawback and make it possible to provide an interconnection between a heat exchanger and a pipe union in which the water box no longer needs a projecting connection tube for connection to the pipe union.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for locking together an assembled heat exchanger and pipe union, and which is compatible with the solution adopted for eliminating the projecting connection tube on the water box.